posted Oct 23rd, 2009 - The NSL News has covered the unofficial "amateur championship" at the 2009 USPA National Skydiving Championships quite a few times this year. The NSL Poll for this internal race in the AAA/Open Class competition suggested four teams in the hunt for the unofficial title of the best weekend team and Mass Defiance's 19.3 record average of 2007: SDC Rhythm XP, Sebastian Tempest, Spaceland Blue and Amphibious Attack Tigers. There was also the option to vote that no team would break the 19.3 average this year.

The 29% of the voters who did not see any of the teams get to this scoring level had it right, even though the competition draw offered the opportunity for record scores. SDC Rhythm XP came the closest with an 18.1 average after ten rounds and claimed the unofficial amateur championship title of 2009.

The Mass Defiance 19.3 record average will still stand for at least another year. Even the high-profile pickup team A4C (John Eagle, John Hamilton, Todd Hawkins, Eric Heinsheimer, with Matt McLean on camera) was not able to get close enough to this benchmark.

Two former Mass Defiance members, Ben Liston and Brian Stephens, competed for the amateur championship title in the AAA/Open Class with the Amphibious Attack Tigers, as well, and won their won little competition over Sebastian Tempest and Spaceland Blue after a tight race with a 17.1 average. Tempest and Blue ended up tied with a 16.6 average.

The NSL News met with SDC Rhythm XP members JaNette and Steve Lefkowitz a few days after the end of the 4-way and 8-way competition for another round of NSL Talk. Rhythm's married front piece couple had more exciting news. They still cannot get enough of 4-way training and competition and plan to make the next step up next year heading closer to the very top.

Both Rhythm founders have already quit their jobs and prepare to leave the amateur level of 4-way competition. They don't know the new Rhythm lineup yet. Tail Laurent Beaudouin cannot keep up with the increasing efforts any longer and will not continue next year. However, there is a good chance that the youngest Rhythm member, Center Inside Rob Radez, may also re-consider his job situation and move on.

JaNette and Steve Lefkowitz made it very clear during the NSL Talk that they will be actively looking for a new Rhythm Tail. The selection process will begin as soon as possible. The increased training efforts will most likely take place on a line between the Midwest, North Carolina and Florida.

Skydive Chicago and Skydive Sebastian have already been working together on the jump plane agenda. Rhythm will probably become a part of this cooperation. The Paraclete XP windtunnel has already become the second home for the Rhythm members, and the tunnel schedule will probably become even busier in an acccording way.

It all seems to make perfect sense: USPA Advanced Class champion of 2008 with a 16.9 average, unofficial amateur champion in the Open Class this year with an 18.1 average, past the 20.0 average in 2010, Open Class gold medals in 2011, world champions in 2012. JaNette and Steve Lefkowitz had an answer to the specific NSL News question: "Who knows...? Why not...?"

A new dream story might be in the works.